Maintaining a relationship with a convicted family member can be complicated. The columnist M. Gessen would know. In a new podcast series from Serial called “The Idiot,” M. grapples with the fact that their first cousin committed a terrible crime. In 2024, a federal judge sentenced Allen to 10 years in prison for taking out a hit on his ex-wife, the mother of his children. Now, M. talks about their dilemma with their friend Harriet Clark, whose mother, Judy Clark, served 37 years in prison for driving the getaway car in a robbery that led to the deaths of three people. Harriet explains how the adults in her life gave her the opportunity to create and sustain a strong relationship with her mother, and why M. should do the same for Allen’s children. Read the full transcript here: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/02/opinion/serial-the-idiot-family-prison.html Follow us: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-opinions/id1762898126 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/581OhiIm69lqSyNRbBkXnf TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nytopinion Publish Schedule: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays The Opinions podcast: "You've heard the news, here's what to make of it."